Headbands, also referred to as hair bands, are widely used devices to retain the hair of a wearer towards the back of the head. Placed over the top of the head and extending down towards and behind the ears, common headbands are manufactured with biased tension so that they forcibly grip against the sides of the wearers head.
It is also well known that each human head is different—some being long, some narrow, some wide, some more circular, some more oval, etc. . . . Although hair bands may be made in a variety of different sizes, such as small, medium and large, it is economically unfeasible to make a multitude of different sizes.
Typically, the headband is formed in a general circular shape and size offerings of small, medium and large—if even offered —are simply different scales of the same generally circular design. As such, there is a general presumption that a headband may be usable, but it will not be an ideal fit.
In addition, as the ends are biased towards one another, the vast majority of headband wearers experience discomfort from the pressure. Often this discomfort will result in a painful headache. Various designs have been marketed wherein the ends have been elongated to warp farther around the head, but this has only moved the pressure points farther back. Others have attempted to provide wider pads at the end to distribute the pressure over a wider area. Such wider end headbands still provide too much pressure for some wearers and may be viewed as aesthetically displeasing.
Often the semi-rigid circular contour of the typical headband is also not easily worn or enjoyed by a user who is also wearing headphones. Even more frustrating is the use of eyeglasses, the arms of which frequently are trapped under the headband. This additional trapping of the eyeglass arms can and frequently does result in yet another set of uncomfortable pressure points for the user.
None of the known styles within the current market place have truly addressed the issue of head shape uniqueness and/or provided an effective way to bind to the wearer's head without providing pain inducing pressure. The mere fact that headband wearers grow up expecting a less than perfect fit and that the headband will be uncomfortable is certainly not an indication that headband consumers are happy with the current state of headband technology.
Hence, there is a need for a headband that overcomes one or more of the drawbacks identified above.